Bad Websites
 

So many chapters have horribly outdated websites online. Even the large Greek campuses. I have gone to several only to see lists of officers from 2004, or pledge class of '05 and it hasn't been updated since. Perhaps a good question for the actives to ask at rush is "are you familiar with website design"? ha ha. It can't be that hard to find a computer geek can it?

I couldn't agree more! It's funny (and sometimes painful) to see that. The real irony is that many of the websites that need to be updated belong to very strong chapters. In this E-formation age, you'd think that they'd fix this. Even old people like me can do better. :confused:

I just checked my old chapter's website to see how they're keeping it up these days. It's not bursting at the seams with info, but at least it's up to date.

*PHEW*

Our problem is that we have a new website that is easy to update but is not yet recognized by the major search engines. I have suggested the site to said engines but I guess it takes a while for them to be recognized. This causes a problem because when people are searching for our chapter, they will be directed to a 2-3 year old "project site" that a member did for a class grade instead of the actual, functioning "official site" of the chapter. We are also having difficulties getting HQ and campus to update their sites with the new link. And yes ... I am no computer geek so any suggestions are appreciated.

I think the thinking there is that they're above needing to publicize themselves with a website.

You think the GLOs' respective HQs would make some sort of template for chapters to use. XO used to do this and I thought it was great. The pages were very distinctive and you immediately knew that this chapter was part of a national org'n. OR perhaps Panhel could do this for all the sororities at a particular school ie the sorority flower on top, the same lists of specific pages (officers, philanthropy, house tour...) on one side. It would be somewhat of an equalizer.

Ehh, I've seen those, and I don't like them at all. The Phi Delts at my school have one, and it's really hard to differentiate what is national content and what is local...if there's any local content at all.

I mean, you know that "this is XYZ, a national GLO" but I think too many chapters don't personalize it enough...they just are lazy and use the bare bones of the template. If I want a national site, I'll go to xyz.org.

I think some Panhels do do this for the groups at their school.

Would chapters that are too lazy to flesh out a provided template also be too lazy to start from scratch?

A friend whose D recently went through recruitment did notice the same thing about the more "popular" GLOs having out-of-date websites. Current websites are important if for nothing else than knowing where to send the refs.

Yeah, probably, but I'd rather see nothing than regurgitated sameness. That's just my personal opinion though.

And re your second comment - if you are their kind, my dear, you KNOW where to send the refs w/out a website telling you.

It took me a long time to get Google to recognize the site I made for the chapter I advise. Get Yahoo to recognize the site and Google will follow. Once someone gave me this advice, the site showed up on Google by the end of the week.

Thanks AOII, I suggested the site to both sometime last week so I guess I'm just waiting ...

Have you verified your site with Google? It's a pain in the butt, but they suggest you add a code or page to your site that they can find to verify your site. Go to http://www.google.com/intl/en/submit_content.html and click on "webmaster's tools" to get to the verification process.

If you want Google to recognize your new web site address you need to get your url out there. Try to get as many other sites as possible to list your domain. This means you will have to harass the greek life office and your HQ's.

If you know the person who built the class project web site, i would ask them if they can create a redirect on the site so that if anyone finds it, they will be sent to your new site.

I agree that the more your URL is out there, the more likely Google's bot will pick it up. My site, however, is not listed by the greek life office or IHQ. I did a lot of searches for my site and picked it a huge number of times to get it to move up the Google list. Also, make sure that your page has a description imbedded that describes your chapter how people will most likely look for it. I had to change mine to AOII at Towson University since using AOII Theta Beta Chapter made it harder to find on Google.

GIN SYSTEM! Check out the link in my signature. :D

Plus, the way it's designed, the chapters have serveral different layouts they can choose from, and they can switch it up as often or as little as they want. They can add pages, and take away pages (except for the national history and general insignia stuff. AXiD just implemented this over the summer, and some chapters are still using their own websites, but FHQ provided one to every single chapter to use, if they wanted it. The website is just frosting though - the real reason behind GIN system is it's a communication portal - announcements, calendar, wuot text message reminders (if you sign up for them), sign up to buy t-shirts, stuff like that. It's a REALLY cool system. I didn't think I would like it, because I'm not a fan of the cookie cutter websites (like Chapter Communications - no offense, but I couldnt stand the way theirs was set up).

I think Phi Mu and ADPi are also using GIN....I could be mistaken though....

I've noticed the change in AXiD...the sites are really nice and professional in appearance. Hopefully each chapter will take the time to personalize the site for their own chapter.

AOII chose to use a different approach. All chapters MUST have a working website by September that includes items outlined by IHQ. They provide a template if needed, but chapters can have personalized websites as long as all of the required information is included. My site is up to standards. Many still are not but will hopefully meet the September deadline. I'm glad (I)HQs are showing an interest in this since it is such a great PR and recruitment tool!

GIN is great but it still needs to be recognized by search engines. Thanks everyone for the suggestions and I'm working on the solution.

The frustrating part was going thru the specific college's panhel website that had the list of sororities and when you click on their name it is supposed to take you to their site (at that school). Some even linked to "error" meaning there was NO website.

Please don't think I am trying to attack you or the GIN system (if nothing else, I like that it sounds like liquor :D....

But...

When I looked at 5-7 GIN sites, they looked just as "cookie cutter" as Chapter Communications sites.... and to me, that's not really saying a lot.

Both are content management systems which provide a lot of different templates you can use. I never knew about GIN before today, but more power to them.

I just don't see the significant non-cookie cutterness that you're describing.

(Like for example, all CC websites have the left hand navigation, and all the GIN sites I saw have the up-top navigation.)

My collegiate chapters do ok with getting websites up but I'm starting to get requests for help from the alumnae chapters. These are older women who know they need an internet presence but haven't grown up designing things. I'm trying to hook them up with collegians to assist them. We always have the alumnae helping the collegians. This is an opportunity for the collegians to help the alumnae for a change! I'm hoping they begin to develop some stronger relationships as a result.

Chi Omega is still doing this. We just unveiled our new sites at Convention this summer. I'm sure many chapters (alumnae and collegiate) are still working on them. My alumnae chapter's is finished, luckily. I did it, and it was very simple.

The new sites have a lot more individuality, but they also have those special touches that tie all the sites together.

Yep, Phi Mu is using GIN and I'm pretty much in love with it...

Lady, where have you BEEN?

I think this is an extremely accurate statement about many "top tier" chapters - they feel like having a website is almost "selling out" or something.

Another major issue with websites is that there is a lot of turnover in collegiate chapters. You might have a good website officer for two or even three or four years, but when she graduates, there's no guarantee that it will be kept up.

W&L has some kind of standardized system that all the sororities are using there... I don't know if it's GIN or not. I like it because I've been able to sign up for chapter email alum updates. :)

I saw a Clemson thread and decided to check out their panhel website and it's really nice. On each group page is a link to their own website even tho the main one has great pics of each group. Very well done and so cute.

W&L is using Chapter Communications
http://www.wlupanhel.com/index.php

Haha... I know, right? I gave up on LiveJournal, and then I haven't been around here much either. But I'm the Membership Adviser now at my old chapter, and I missed you guys!

Thanks for remembering me :p